In these final days of the Advent period, the Church focuses our attention increasingly on the mystery that is unfolding before us. Today, the scriptures focus our attention on Jesus' family tree: his genealogy.
The entire history of our salvation has unfolded - beginning with the life of Abraham (cf Mt 1:2) and continuing fourteen generations to the great king David (cf Mt 1:2-6), then another fourteen generations to the time of the Babylonian captivity (cf Mt 1:6-11). Following the period of captivity in Babylon, there were another fourteen generations which passed, ending with the birth of Jesus (cf Mt 1:12-16).
It is important to notice that there are fourteen generations between each of these significant moments in the history of God's people, and that it is possible to trace the genealogy of Jesus back to Abraham. In this way, the story of God's steadfast love is traced throughout the time of the Old Testament to the one who we know as the Christ - the promised one of God.
Saint Leo the Great (also known as Pope Leo I) who served as Bishop of Rome from 440 AD until his death in 461 AD, said that: The Conqueror's victory would have profited us nothing if the battle had been fought outside our human condition. But ... the mystery of new birth shone upon us, so that through the same Spirit by whom Christ was conceived and brought forth, we too might be born again in a spiritual birth by baptism (Office of Readings, 17 December).
The mystery will unfold over the next nine days. In the meanwhile, let us begin the Christmas novena (nine days of prayerful anticipation).
Have a great day.
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